Nikol Chen (she/her)

University of Toronto undergraduate and a President Scholar, studying Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. My Laidlaw research project uses CRISPR gene-editing and stem-cell-derived human lung cells to elucidate the role of a compensatory gene in Cystic Fibrosis. I am interested in both the science questions behind biomedical health and the ethical, social complexities. I love reading, running science outreach, and playing sports.

I'm a SF English and Film Studies student in Trinity College, Dublin. I'm an avid writer and film critic for the Trinity Film Review, along with Trinity News and TN2. When I'm not watching films or doing school work, I love to run, read and attempt to learm ancient languages.

From a young age, I have held a deep appreciation for people, how they think, and the ways they overcome the obstacles in their lives. This interest developed into an interest in medicine—and, since I am specifically interested by the manner in which people interact with the world physically, grew into a desire to study paralysis and the diseases that cause it.
I now research Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease), a fatal paralyzing disease that strikes adults seemingly randomly and usually leads to death within a few years of onset. Working from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, I seek to find a clinical marker for the disease, with the eventual hopes of more easily identifying it in patients, tracking its progress, and determining its response to various medications. Having previously researched Alzheimer's Disease gene therapies and the effects of hemorrhagic stroke, I have built up a wide and deep understanding of not only the science of brain disorders, but their real and severe consequences
Apart from my work in research, I am interested in science fiction, bouldering, and writing. Recognizing the emotional toll of losing access to one's body has left a deep impression upon me—keeping healthy has become a recent passion of mine.

I am a Singaporean French second-year biology student studying at the University of York hoping to specialise in medical biology. My research project looks into novel therapies for a neurodegenerative disorder which there are currently no treatments for, Huntington's disease. I am excited to embark on the Laidlaw Scholarship and to connect with as many young leaders in my field as I can.

The founder of the The Case for Women, Lesley Symons, is passionate about getting more women into leadership positions. Whilst studying at INSEAD in France, Lesley noticed a distinct lack of women on campus, both as professors and as students. Even more noticeable was the lack of case material she read with a woman either as a lead or as a manager. This lead her to writing her thesis 'Where are the Women Leaders?'. Hence, her particular interest is in the business school and tertiary education sector where she found women critically under-represented.

My background is in technology, professional services and digital media. I co-founded Zapnito due to a number of related observations from my time in these sectors: 1) the social web is creating a huge amount of noise 2) expertise that brands have built up over decades is being drowned out and hidden from those that need it 3) these brands are therefore losing their audience to often undeserving and unhelpful sources, and 4) people are finding it harder to access the expertise that they truly value. I therefore decided to create Zapnito, a white-label platform to help trusted brands reclaim their audiences via expert-driven knowledge networks.

I am a neuroscience student in Trinity College Dublin. My research project is entitled "The Benefits of Exercise on the Brain: The Role of Inflammation". The objective of this research project is to analyse brain samples from sedentary and exercised aged mice to investigate if cognitive function is correlated with expression of inflammatory molecules in the brain. I am hoping the data garnered from this project will increase our understanding of how the brain deals with inflammation when in an optimal natural environment and that this knowledge can help with progression towards treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Laidlaw Scholar at the University of St Andrews. Studying for an MA in Philosophy and International Relations. My research interest is in Political philosophy particularly looking into the construction of political identities. I am also an editor for 'Aporia' the St Andrews undergraduate journal of Philosophy.

I’m a 2nd-year Theoretical Physics student at Trinity College Dublin. For my research project, I will analyse data from the Zwicky Transient Factory to establish a relation between supernova explosions and their host galaxies and determine a subsample of Type Ia Supernovae that will help us constrain the origin of dark energy.

I am a first-year undergraduate scholar pursuing a BA in English Literature and Linguistics. Besides being a scholar, I am the 2020-21 Arts and Humanities faculty rep at the University of York!
My research is based in phonetics, entitled 'The untapped potential of human language: investigating the articulation of unattested sounds'. Despite the pandemic, I am planning to use electromagnetic articulography equipment. This is not commonly accessible to undergraduates which is really exciting!

Looking for opportunities that will help me grow as a professional, intellectual, and individual. I am invested in Public Global Health and issues around capacity and policy building in Low and Middle Income Countries.

My research revolves around using neuroimaging to virtually dissect tracts in the brain. This will help me potentially elucidate pathophysiological changes during Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and create a scaffold for further research into the tracts I'm investigating.

I am an English Literature and History student in Trinity College Dublin. My research under the Laidlaw Programme regards Tony Kushner's 1991 play Angels in America, and its role in deconstructing the homogenous queer identity. This summer, I will carry out close textual analysis of the play, consult criticism of Kushner's work, and apply leading queer literary theorists' work to Angels in America. In Summer 2021, I hope to travel to the US to conduct a study of Kushner's work in diversifying understandings of what it means to be queer, and organise a theatre workshop of the play's key scenes.

(he/him) Hey! I'm a first-year scholar whose research will investigate perceptions transgender and cisgender (non-trans) people have about their gender identity and how this effects their well-being and attitudes. I study Psychology at Durham university and my work experience background is in education and mental health care.

I am an undergraduate Laidlaw Scholar studying Philosophy and Politics at the University of York. I am very interested in climate change policy and the motivations behind the decisions of current leaders in this area. My research project investigates the application of the philosophical concept of existentialism in climate change policy and whether it can shift the mentality of policy makers and enable them to take radical action against climate change.

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As Lord Laidlaw, our Chairman, and Susanna Kempe, our CEO, met with scholars and alumni from around the world, many requested a way to meet ambitious peers, participate in leadership in-action initiatives and collaborate on research projects for a better present. We welcome you to the Laidlaw Scholars Network, a social utility tool that allows you to do just this! Be the new generation of passionate, adaptive, ethical leaders.